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' @uitrit tstth-sttut @frn EDMUN D YEISER AND ,JOHN SON S. SHEETZ, OF SHERIDANPENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 61,302, dated January 15, 1867; antedatcd January 5, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, EDiuUND YEIsER, and JonNsoN S. SHnETz, of Sheridan, in the county of Lebanon, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Hay-Forks; and do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference bei'ng had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the drawings hereto annexed, and forming a part of this specification, A represents the body of the, hay-fork, which is made in the form shown, vhaving an oblong slot, into which is placed the sliding-bar B. This bar being made slightly longer than the slot into which" it is placed, extends both above and below. Hinged to the said bar B, at the top portion az, is a lever, E, at one side, and a boot, D, at the other. C C represent two metallic bows, which are pivoted to the upper portion of the hay-fork; one of said bows is secured to the under portion of the lever E, while the other is secured to the boot D. a andarepresenttwo metallic spears, 4which are pivotedito the two ends at the bottom of the body A, (formed by the slot heretofore described,) and hinged to the extremity ofthe sliding-bar B. The spear a. is made slightly longer than the spear a, and has a shoulder formed at the end so that the spear ats against the spear a, just above said shoulder, and the two when together act as one spear and prevent the hay from passing between and opening them, as is usual where forks are constructed with kan opening at the ends, between the 'two spears. b represents two crooked arms, which are secured to one of the ends of piece A, and are pivoted to the spear a. The use and operation of' said arms will be hereinafter set forth. Upon the lever E is secured a catch, having a shoulder (as seen at f.) upon its farther end, and is provided with a ring at the other extremity,-which ring encircles the handle of the' lever E and is to attach a cord to work it. vBetween the catch F and lever E is a small spring, m, and a'stud, o, to prevent said catch from comingtoo near the lever and to spring it from the same. Figure 3, accompanying drawings, shows the sliding-bar B, withthe jaws d andd, by which the lever and boot are hinged at the top, and the spears at the lower end; also, a'small slot, c, through which passes a screw (not shown) to prevent it from being drawn too high up or pressed too low down. It will be seen by drawing the "lever upwards that the boot is drawn towards the body of the fork, as' well as said lever, and the bar B, by means of the hinges, is pressed downwards, when the spears a and a separate and assume the position as seen in Figure 2. In pressing the aforesaid lever upwards the catch F moves towards the end of the boot D and catches upon thev heel e of said boot, and the fork is securely held in the required psition. By pressing upon the outer end of the catch the shoulderfis disengaged from the boot heel; then press the lever downwards and the point a: is carried toward the top of the fork and the spears are brought together, assuming the position shown in Figure 1. While in this position (the device being secured to a beam by a rope attached to the ring g) it is plunged into the hay, when the point of the lever is thrown up, and the spears spreading with the hay on them. The fork is then elevated, and a cord attached to the ring of the catch is pulled and the weight of the hay will bear the spears straight and drop into the receptacle.

HavingA thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The metallic body A, provided with a sliding-bar B, lever E, catch- F, and boot D, arranged and operating substantially as herein specified.

I 2. The spears a and a connected as described, spear a being slightly longer than spear a, spear a shutting within a shoulder on the end of spear a to form a perfect joint, the whole arranged and operating as 4and for Vthe purposes set forth.

As evidence that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND YEISER,

JOHNSON S. SHEETZ. Witnesses:

E. Renn, W. Srnnou. 

